They come in all shapes and sizes. There are 13 tigers, including the most abundant species of exotic cats – the Siberian Tiger, and a Geoffroy cat (a little-known and endangered, small cat), which at four pounds is lower than most house cats. They are also several leopards, lions, bobcats, caracals, cougars, leopard cats, ocelots, sand cats, servals, African Jungle Cats, and Siberian Lynx now safely living in this sanctuary in the Tampa area. The exotic cats residing at Big Cat Rescue have a varied history, but all are now housed in enclosures that would rival most Zoological parks.
Unlike misguided individuals like Norman Buwalda, an Ontario man who was mauled to death by his own “pet” tiger in 2018, this rescue organization is fully equipped to provide a safe and comfortable home for these animals.
Pet Site Guides would like anyone who is considering such a foolhardy thing as bringing a large or exotic cat into their home to visit Big Cat Rescue or another large exotics rescue shelter in their area.
2019 marks the 20th anniversary of Big Cat Rescue. With a vision of ending the abuse and abandonment of captive exotic animals and promoting the preservation of the species in the wild, this educational sanctuary for Big Cats is one of the most well-respected organizations of its type.
Their sanctuary currently has over 100 animals. They do allow the public to visit with the cats in residence. So, if you’re ever in the Tampa, Florida area, it might be worth a trip. The income made from these visits pays for the administrative costs of the organization, freeing up 100% of donations to go directly to the care of the cats living at the sanctuary and stopping the abuse of wild cats.
Big Cat Rescue has been actively involved with tightening laws regulating the care and keeping of exotic cats. They believe that these animals should never be kept as pets. Pet Site Guides would like to encourage our site visitors to support this organization with their time or their donations.
This exotic cat rescue organization started by trying to purchase animals being auctioned off as pets and for their skins in order to save them from a horrible death or years of abuse and neglect. They realized that by purchasing animals from these folks that they were in effect supporting the sale of exotic animals. They also freely admit to early mistakes in operating a breeding program to “preserve the species.” A personal tragedy also shaped the organization into what it has become today. I applaud their honesty and hope by sharing it that they may prevent some well-meaning individual or organization from making the same mistakes.
I have included this organization on Pet Site Guides since June of 2007, when I first added a listing for them. The organization continues to provide homes for orphaned wild animals, abandoned pets and retired performance animals. They have actively worked with legislators to create laws restricting these animals being maintained as pets; much to the ire of breeders, exotic pet owners and exhibitors.